Fluid fuel burner



Dec. 19, 1967 APPLFEBEE 3,358,737

FLUID FUEL BURNER F'ilod Oct. 1966 L 1 lLIIi/IIIIIIIIJ INVENTOR.

GERALD L. Y APPLEBEE.

ATTORNEY.

United States Patent 3,358,737 FLUID FUEL BURNER Gerald L. Applebee, Dormansville, N.Y., assignor to Carrier Corporation, Syracuse, N.Y., a corporation of Delaware Filed Oct. 3, 1966, Ser. No. 583,616 1 Claim. (Cl. 158115) This invention relates broadly to fuel burning apparatus. More particularly, this invention relates to fuel burners employed as ignition devices.

In the fabrication of products including brazed parts, it is necessary to provide an ignition device for the purpose of igniting the brazing torches necessary to conduct the brazing operation. An ignition device of the kind under consideration usually communicates with a supply of combustible gas such as acetylene gas in such a manner as to be continuously ignited. It is important that the flame produced by the ignition device be sheltered to the maximum extent possible from drafts or other gusts of wind present in the building in which the brazing operations are conducted. It is also desirable that the flame be sheltered so that the heat attendant its presence will not be objectionable to those working in the area adjacent thereto.

It is the primary object of the invention to provide an improved fuel burner suitable for use as an ignition element for igniting brazing torches.

It is an additional object of the invention to provide a fuel burner of the kind described which by its configuration prevents extinguishment or outage of the flame by drafts or other gusts of wind while protecting others in the area from danger due to the presence of the flame.

The objects of the invention are attained with a fuel burning device comprising a single tubular element having a first closed end and a second open end, a first section formed in the shape of a helix and a second section extending therefrom to connect to a mounting element for the burner. Openings are provided in the part of the tubular member formed as the helix for the emission of combustible gas. The openings are so directed that the gas pattern is substantially if not wholly contained within the cylinder formed by the coiled section of the tube.

Other objects and features of the invention will be apparent upon a consideration of the ensuing specification and drawing in which:

FIGURE 1 is a side view partly in section of a fuel burner constructed in accordance with the invention wherein the burner is shown connected to a source of combustible fluid;

FIGURE 2 is a sectional view taken along lines II-II of FIGURE 3 illustrating the manner in which the openings for the emission of the flammable gas are arranged within the coiled section of the fuel burner; and

FIGURE 3 is a plan view of the upper or coiled section of the fuel burner.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, there is shown a fuel burner constructed in accordance with this invention. The burner 10 includes a hollow tubular member 12 of considerable length when compared to its diameter preferably formed of a ductile material such as copper having a first closed end 14 and a second open end 16 preferably provided with a flare as shown in FIGURE 1. The tubular member 12 is bent to a particular configuration which includes a straight or vertical section 18 extending upwardly from the open end 16. A coiled section 19 extends from the straight section and is formed by bending the tube in a helical path with the turns of the helix in engagement with one another so as to form an open-ended cylinder.

A plurality of openings 22 is provided in the coiled portion of the tubular member. The openings permit passage of combustible fluid from the tubular member. A preferable arrangement of openings includes two series of openings, the first or upper series 2211 are provided in a single helix 20a spaced from one another. The second or lower series 22b are provided in a second helix 20b and are likewise spaced 120 from one another circumferentially olfset however from the position of the first series in the manner illustrated in FIGURE 2. The upper series of openings 22a are disposed below the center line of the tube forming the turn of the helix in which they are located and are disposed in the quadrant of the tube so that the opening extends inwardly and downwardly of the cylinder in the manner shown in FIGURE 2. The lower series of openings 22b are arranged in the tube forming a turn of the helix, above the center line thereof and in the quadrant such that the flame pattern extends upwardly and inwardly as shown in FIGURE 2. With this arrangement, the individual flames are limited to the space within the cylinder and thus are protected from drafts that might extinguish them. Also the heat generated by the flames is confined in part to the interior of the cylinder formed by the coiled section 19.

In order to mount the fuel burner, there is provided a fitting 24 brazed to the lower flared end 16 of the tubular member as shown in FIGURE 1. Fitting 24 is provided with an axial passage 25 and a radial passage 26. Threads are also provided on the exterior surface of the fitting to enable the fitting to be connected to a plug 28 arranged within a conduit containing a source of combustible fluid such as acetylene gas. The plug 28 includes passage 30 having a restriction 32 therein. The parts are connected by a nut 34 engaging external threads on the plug as shown in FIGURE 1.

In use, the parts are connected in the manner shown in FIGURE 1 so that fluid in the conduit C may flow via passage 30, restriction 32, passage 26 and passage 25 to the interior of the tubular member 12 and thence via openings 22 into the space defined by the interior of the coiled section 19 of the burner. Suitable ignition is provided so that a continuous gaseous flame is present due to the gas flow from the openings 22. The flame pattern resulting from the ignition may be adjusted by suitably adjusting the position of fitting 24 which in turn regulates restriction 32.

When it is desired to use the fuel burner to ignite a brazing torch, it is necessary only to bring the torch in the vicinity of the flame pattern either above or below the cylinder defined by the coiled section 19 and ignition of the brazing torch will ensue.

It will be apparent that the fuel burner described may serve continuously as an ignition means for brazing torches without fear of the flame being extinguished by drafts of the kind encountered in manufacturing areas devoted to brazing and under the circumstances where the heat generated by the ignition device is confined to the area within the cylinder so as to be less objectionable to persons engaged in brazing operations in the vicinity. If desired, a conical screen may be assembled over the lower end of the coiled section to reduce the possibility of up-drafts extinguishing the flame. However, in practice it has been found that such an accessory may not be necessary.

While the invention has been described with three openings in the lower part of the cylinder, it has been determined that if desired two openings instead of three may be employed. It is possible to employ a fewer number of openings in the lower part of the cylinder because the pressure of the combustible fluid is greater in that part of the unit than in the upper part.

While I have described a preferred embodiment of my invention, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited thereto but may be otherwise embodied within the scope of the following claim.

I claim:

A 9 u e comp is n a sin en h o u in having a first open end for receiving combustible fluid introduced therein at relatively high velocity, a second closed end and a plurality of openings disposed therein said tubing being formed to define a hollow substantially cylindrical member formed by bending the tubing into' a hell); of relatively small pitch with the successive turns thereof in engagement, the plurality of openings being located so as to communicate with the interior of the cylindrical member with at least one in an upper part of the cylindrical member and at least one in a lower part of the cylindrical member, the upper opening being directed inwardly and downwardly of the cylindrical member and the lower opening being directed inwardly and upwardly of the cylindrical member.

References Cited FREDERICK L. MATTESON, 13., Primary Examiner.

H. B. RAMEY, Assistant Examiner. 

